Roller-tablet



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. J. MURRAY.

THE NORM! rz nms co., morckumo WASHINGTON, m c.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. MURRAY. ROLLER TABLET.

Patented Dec. 15, 1391.

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THE NOR IS PEYLRS D0 PHOTO-7H0 WENINGIUN D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JAMES MURRAY, OF HILLSBOROUGH, OHIO.

R LLER-TAB LET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,385, dated December 15, 1891.

Application filed January 15, 1891. Serial No. 377,872. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsborough, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Roller-Tablet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to roller-tablets in which a strip or roll of paper may be arranged in such a manner as to be conveniently unwound from the roll and wound upon another suitably-arranged drum or roller in such a manner as to expose successively various parts of the said strip upon a desk or tablet,which forms a convenient writing-surface.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of my improved roller-tablet. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view showing the means for holding the roller-shafts in operative position. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are perspective detail. views illustrating various forms of rollers which may be used in connection with my invention.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A suitable frame or casing, which is designated by 1, and which consists, mainly, of the suitably-connected side pieces 2 2, is provided with bearings'for the shafts 3 and 4. of apair of rollers 5 and 6. One of the sides 2 is provided with curved slots 7 to admit the outer ends of the roller-shafts. The inner sides of the opposite side pieces 2 are provided with correspondingly-curved grooves 8, in which are mounted the slides or stops 9, which may be retained in position by means of screws 10 or other suitable bearings, so as to retain in position the inner ends of the roller-shafts. The outer ends of said shafts are retained in the slots 8 by means of the curved or hooked ends of a spring 11, which is mounted upon a stud 12 on the outer sideof the casing. It will be seen that by disengaging the ends of the roller-shafts from the spring 11 and re ure upon the desk-plate 13.

moving the slides 9 the roller-shafts may be readily removed from the casin g when desired.

Suitably pivoted between the side pieces 2 2 of the frame is a plate 13, forming a desk or supporting-tablet. This tablet is provided near its free end and at a short distance above its pivotal point with transverse slots 14. The upper end of the tablet 13 is extended upwardly between the side pieces and is adapted to bear against the under side of a plate 15, which is pivoted between the side pieces 2 2 near the front edges of the latter. The plate 15 serves to support an ink-well, which may be of the ordinary well-known tilting kind, so as to admit of the swinging movement of the pivoted plate, the arrangement being preferably such as to cause the ink-well to swing open when the supporting-plate 15 assumes an approximately horizontal position.

16 designates a blotting-roller, the shaft of which is journaled in a pair of pivoted arms 17, so as to cause the said roller, which is preferably constructed of lead, iron,or other heavy material, to rest with some degree of press- When the blotting-roller, which is in practice to be covered with several thicknesses of blotting-paper, is constructed of wood or other light material,

springs may be arranged to press it against v the plate 13.

Upon the shaft 18 of the roller 16 are pivoted a pair of arms or brackets 19, carryinga plate or tablet 20. The underside or edge of said plate has a notch or recess 21 to admit of the passage of the paper strip 22. The front side of the plate 20 is ruled,"as shown at 23, or subdivided into any desired number of compartments, each of which may be provided with a suitable heading. By this arrangement separate headings of the paper strip may be dispensed with, and the headings on said plate will be at all times exposed to view.

The side pieces 2 2 of the box or casing are to be connected above and in front of the blotting-roller bya cross-piece 24., upon which any desired inscription may be placed.

The rollers 5 and 6 are to be constructed in such a manner that a roll of paper may be conveniently placed upon the one and wound upon the other in such a manner that when filled with signatures or when it has served yond the face of theroller.

other suitable material.

its purpose it may be conveniently slipped off the winding-roller.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 I have shown various forms of devices, all embodying the same general principles and all equally applicable to the purposes of my invention. The several rollers, which are designated by 26, are provided with longitudinal grooves 27 to receive a narrow strip 28, of sheet metal or other suitable material, which may slightly project be- The end of the paper strip may be attached to the windingroller by simply doubling the end thereof,inserting it into the groove 27, and securing it by means of the strip 28, which will wedge the paper strip in the said groove and hold it with ample security. The roll may be readily removed when the metal strip has been withdrawn endwise from the groove in the roller. This construction has been shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6 a similar roller has been shown; but upon the end of the paper strip is secured a piece of pasteboard 29, which is wound once around the roller, the ends of said pasteboard abutting against opposite sides of the projecting portion of the metal strip 28,thus connecting the end of the paper strip with the said roller firmly and in such a manner that the roll-of paper may not revolve upon the roller. In Fig. 7 a similar roller is used in connection with a holder 30, which consists of a number of strips 31, of wood, pasteboard, or other suitable material, glued or cemented to a strip 31 of textile or This holder partially surrounds the roller 26 and merely leaves space between one edge of said holder and the metal strip 28 for the insertion of l a narrow strip 32 of .pasteboard, which is attached to the end of the paper roll. In Fig. 8' still another modification of my invention has been shown, which consists in mounting upon the roller 26 one or more sleeves 33, of pasteboard or other suitable material, to which the end of the paper strip is attached and which will be held from rotation by the strip 28. Each of these forms will admit of the roll of paper being readily adjusted upon or removed from the roller in a very convenient manner and without danger of tearing or destroying any portion of the paper, and each of said rollers may, when desired, be provided with flanges 72, as shown in Fig. 3, to keep the paper straight, and said flanges may be adj ustable by set-screws 73 to suit paper of different widths.

The form of my invention which has been above described is especially useful for enrolling signatures to petitions, pledges, and the like, the petition, pledge, or other suitable inscription being placed upon the crossbar 24, so as to be at all times in full view of the signers. The pivoted plate 20 carries,

also in full view of the signers, the various headings under which information is to be given, and it also serves to hold the strip of paper down against the desk or tablet. The

slots 14 in the latter are for the passage of the strip of paper, which is thus held smooth and taut, and the blotting-roller serves to blot the signatures or written matter before the latter is wound upon the winding-roller. The tension of the spring 11, the ends of which bear against the'roller-shafts, will be sufficient to prevent the strip of paper from be- .ing wound or unwound too rapidly. When the device is in use, the desk-plate is held in an inclined position by the pressure against its upper edge of the ink-well-supporting plate 15. 7 hen the device is not in use, the plate 13 may be adjusted to a vertical position, as

wellas the plate 15, thus swinging the inkwell shut. A locking-pin 37, adapted to be inserted through any one of a series of perforations 38 in the side of the frame, serves to hold the plate 15, and consequently also the plate 13, at any desired adjustment. The end of the shafts 3 and 1 are squared for the reception of a crank 3.), by means of which they may be conveniently turned.

The device may be suspended for use upon the wall of a room; or itmay, if preferred, be provided with suitable legs or supports. The rollers 5 and 6 are conveniently accessible through the rear or under side of the casing.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. It will also be readily seen thatother modifications than those herein described will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic, and I therefore desire it to .be understood that, while I have in the foregoing described the preferred construction of my invention, I do not limit myself to the precise details herein de-- mounted upon the supporting-rollers of the cutting devices which are now universally employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of the box or casing, a desk plate or tablet having slots or notches arranged near its ends for the passage of a strip of rollpaper, and the rollers for carrying paper detachably mounted in the box or casing and arranged adjacent to the slots or notches, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a boX or casing, the rollers journaled detachably in the same, a desk plate or tablet having slots or notches for the passage of a strip of roll-paper, and a spring secured to the side of the casing and having free ends or arms bearing against the shafts of the rollers for the purpose of retarding the rotation of the said rollers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a box or casing, the rollers mounted detachably in the same, the deskplate having slots for the passage of a strip of roll-paper, the pivoted arms carrying a blotting-roller, and a plate supported by said arms and standing approximately at right angles to the desk-plate, substantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a. casing, the Winding-rollers mounted detachably in the same, the desk plate or support having notches or slots for the passage of a strip of roll-paper, a blotting-roller journaled in arms pivoted tothe casing, and arms or brackets pivoted upon the shaft of the blotting-roller and carrying a plate having a notch or recess in its under edge, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a box or casing, the rollers mounted in the same, a desk-plate adapted to support a portion of a strip of roll-paper, and a plate mounted upon pivoted arms or brack ets and adapted to rest loosely upon the ex posed strip of paper and provided with various compartments subdivided in any suitable manner and adapted to contain various headings, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of the box or casing, the roller mounted in the same, the pivoted desk-plate having slotsfdr the passage of a strip of rollpaper and having its upper end extended above its pivotal point, and an ink-well-sup porting plate pivoted between the front edges of the box or casing and adapted to engage the upper edge of the pivoted desk-plate and to sustain the latter in an inclined position,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 7. In a device of the class described, the combination of the box or casing, the rollers mounted in the same, the pivoted desk-plate, the pivoted ink-Well-supporting plate, the blotting-roller journaled in a pair of pivoted arms, and arms or brackets pivoted upon the shaft of said blotting-roller and carrying a plate having a notch or recess in its lower edge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 8. In a device of the class described, the combination of the box or casing, one side of which is provided with curved slots and the other side of which is provided with correspondingly -curved grooves, the slides or stops mounted detachably in said grooves, the roller-carrying shafts, and a spring secured to the outer side of the casing and having curved or hooked ends bearing against the projecting ends of the roller-shafts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of a roller having a longitudinal groove, a sheet-metal strip adapted to be seated in said groove, and a paper roll having at its ends a strip of pasteboard or similar material adapted to engage one side of the projecting edge of said sheet-metal strip and thus be held fromrot-ation upon the said roller, substantially as set forth.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of the box or casing, the rollers mounted detachably in the same and having longitudinal grooves, the sheet-metal strips adapted to be seated in said grooves, the desk plate or tablet having notches or slots for the passage of a strip of rolled paper, the blot ting-roller mounted in a pair of pivoted arms, and the arms or brackets mounted upon the shaft of said blotting-roller and carrying a plate having a notch or recess in its under side, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two Witnesses. 1

JAMES MURRAY.

Witnesses;

A. D. WIGGINS, HENRY L. WIGGINs. 

